Phone and broadband providers could face tough penalties under new law

Communications regulator ComReg is to be granted additional powers, including imposing large fines, for breaches of regulation and service failures

Under the proposed new regulatory regime, operators could be forced to compensate customers for missed installation appointments and delays in switching of numbers, as well as other failures. Picture: Getty

Phone and broadband providers could be hit with multimillion-euro penalties and be forced to compensate customers for regulatory breaches and service failures under new legislation planned by the government.

A proposed overhaul of the powers afforded to ComReg would allow the telecoms regulator to impose financial sanctions of up to €5 million or 10 per cent of a firm’s turnover, whichever is higher, and to compel companies to provide compensation to their customers .

Under ...